seminolewar

William Augustus Bowles Portrait

I got a phone call asking about this portrait by Thomas Hardy of William Augustus Bowles. The message was on my answering machine when I got home. I was unable to reach the party, so maybe they will call tomorrow, or read this blog.

This image appeared in the book "The Seminoles" by Edwin McReynolds, 1957. McReynolds used a photo provided by Mark F. Boyd of the Florida Historical Society. I am not sure where Dr. Boyd got the photo.

I was told by someone who saw the painting many years ago that it was with the Gulf Paper Company out of Tuskaloosa (sp?) Alabama. I have heard of them before, and they had a large collection of paintings that they collected of Native Americans, like copies of the McKinney-Hall prints.

After the company closed shop, the painting may have gone to the Bartlett or Philbrook Museum in Oklahoma. I am not familiar with either museum.

Hopefully the painting can be located. I have never seen it in color. Of course it can be difficult trying to track down a lead that is 50 years old, from information that is not verified and the source who may have been a young child at the time.

Christine,Let me apologize for not writing back sooner.I would love to see a color copy of the painting.The curator I talked with at the National Archives in Washington said that the painting looks beautiful.The copy that I posted was in a book on Seminole history from a photo by Mark Boyd, who was active in the Florida Historical Society back in the 1950s.Sincerely,Chris KimballFLATERRITORY (@) yahoo . com